The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 05, 2026
Filed:
May. 23, 2023
Gen Kitamura, Kanagawa, JP;
Junji Yamabe, Kanagawa, JP;
Seiji Terazawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Shuntaroh Tamaki, Kanagawa, JP;
Gen Kitamura, Kanagawa, JP;
Junji Yamabe, Kanagawa, JP;
Seiji Terazawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Shuntaroh Tamaki, Kanagawa, JP;
RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A shutter unit to be installed in a toner container attachable to and detachable from an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus includes: a shutter to be pushed by a nozzle disposed in the apparatus body, with movement of the container in an insertion direction into the apparatus body, to insert the nozzle into the container and communicate the nozzle and the container via an opening of the nozzle; a shutter holder holding the shutter movable in the insertion direction; a seal to contact a circumferential surface of the shutter in a closed state and slide on the circumferential surfaces of the shutter and the nozzle during an opening operation in which the shutter is pressed by the nozzle; and a seal holder detachably holding the seal at an inner portion of the seal holder. The shutter holder and the seal holder are integrated in a detachable manner.